Copy-holder



(No Model.)

M. M. BENSON.

COPY HOLDER.

N0. 560,566. 6 Patented M6719, 1896.

MM W

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MADISON M. BENSON, OF FAIRMONT, \VEST VIRGINIA.

COPY-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 560,566, dated May 19, 1896.

Application filed February 15, 1896. Serial No. 579,401. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MADISON M. BENSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fairmont, in the county of Marion and State of Vest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Copy-Holders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in copy-holders, and especially to a holder for use in connection with a type-writer, whereby the operator may have his notes held on an adjustable rack and cause the note-book to be raised by degrees by depressing on a lever, which causes the note-book or pad to be raised under a guide or indicating-bar, which rests by gravity against the pad which is to be clamped to the rack of the copy-holder.

A further object of the invention is to provide new and useful means for causing the rack carrying the copy-book to be lowered when the notes have been copied to the last line, which is accomplished by simply lifting up on the same lever which is utilized in raisin g the rack, which causes a pawl to be disengaged with ratchet-teeth carried at the end of a winding-drum, and allow the rack to fall by gravity to the bottom, where the jar is taken up by suitable cushions.

The invention relates, further, to the novel construction, combination, and adaptation of the parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

I clearly illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which drawings similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved copy-holder. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the mechanism for causing the rack to be lowered. Fig. 3 is a detail View of the operating-pawl.

bearings in the strips of the frame.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the base portion of-the framework of the holder, consisting of two side strips, one of which strips is longer than the opposite one, as seen at B, and the cross-piece (J connects the two side strips. The upright portion D is mounted at the middle of the cross-piece O and carries the piece E at its upper end. Extending between the piece E and cross-piece C are the rods G G, secured to the ends of the said cross-piece a suitable distance in from its ends.

H is a board, which is designed to carry the copy-book or pad containing the notes, and is provided on its rear side with eyes h, which work on the said rods and serve to guide the board as it is raised or lowered. The copy-book is clamped to the front face of the said board, and L is an indicatingbar, mounted as a bail, with its ends journaled in the ends of the piece E. This bail is provided to act as a guide to the eye of the operator, so that the line of notes may be more readily followed, and the said bar, being also weighted, serves a double purpose by also holding down the leaves of the pad or copy-book. For raising the said board containing the pad I provide a cord J, one end of which is secured to the back side of the board at a location preferably below its longitudinal center, and pass the cord through an aperture near the upper end of the upright piece D, as seen at (Z. The cord then extends downward and is attached to the drum M, which is made integral with the shaft N, which latter is j ournaled in suitable One end of the said shaft is provided with a ratchet-wheel O, and mounted on an upright post P, near the rear end of one of the side pieces 13, is the operating-lever Q, pivoted in the bifurcated end thereof. Pivoted to the same post below the operating-post is a pawl R, which is adapted toengage with the teeth of the said ratchet-wheel. It will be observed that the rear end of the said pawl is For rotating the said shaft a pawl '1 is provided, which is pivoted to the operating-lever at t, and its lower end has two parallel portions bent substantially at right angles to the length of the pawl, which extensions serve to hold the pawl to the teeth on the ratchet by the said extensions straddling the teeth when the lever is depressed.

U is a cylindrical-shaped post slotted longitudinally, as seen at V, and W is a coiled spring,whieh has one end secured to the upper side of the operating-lever and its other end attached to the cap U of the post U, designed to throw the operating-lever up after being depressed to rotate the shaft by means of the pawl engaging with the ratchet-teeth thereon. A series of apertures Y are made at graduated distances along the upright portion of the cylindrical post, through which a pin X may be passed to regulate the throw of the operating lever, whereby the pawl is caused to engage with each tooth or may skip one or more, accordingly as it is desired to raise the copy the width of a narrow or wide line. It will be observed that the shaft carrying the ratchetplate and the drum is journaled back a sufficient distance from the ends of the support, so as to guard against any tipping over of the holder when it is desired to raise up on the operating-lever to allow the rack to fall, and also in the construction of the holder the device is greatly simplified by dispensing with pulleys, metallic journal-boxes, and unnecessary supporting -posts, which renders the holder capable of cheap construction and one which may be easily taken apart for shipment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An attachment for copy-holders, whereby the copy-holding rack or board, may be caused to rise or allowed to fall, consisting of a winding-shaft, having connections with the rack or board, a ratchet-wheel on said shaft, a post having pivoted thereto an operatinglever, a portion of the said operatinglever extending beyond its pivot, a pawl pivoted to the operating-lever designed to rest on the ratchet-teeth, a second pawl, mounted on the said post beneath the operating-lever, resting normally on the ratchet-teeth, its other end extended and upwardly turned, and adapted, when the operating-lever is lifted to be depressed by the extension of the operating-1ever, combined substantially as shown and described.

2. A copy-holder having combined with the rack and hoisting-shaft with ratchet-wheel thereon, an operating-lever, a bifurcated post between the arms of which said operating-lever is pivoted, a pawl having two extensions at its lower end and at right angles to its length, adapted to form guides, a second pawl pivoted below the operating-post and between the said arms, an upwardly-extended projection thereof adapted to bear against an extension of the operating-lever, an elongated slotted post, through which said lever passes, a spring bearing between the lever and the cap of the slotted post, all substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

his MADISON l\[. BENSON.

111211 i Witnesses:

J. P. THOMPSON, E. M. SHOWALTER. 

